A Harare flea market operator has been arrested for allegedly smuggling a consignment of goods, including new shoes and clothing, into the country. The arrest took place on 24 February 2025 along the Gokwe-Siabuwa road in Svisvi, under Chief Nemangwe in Gokwe South.
Speaking to Great Dyke News, ZRP Midlands spokesperson Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko, the suspect, Victor Chinyike (46), a resident of Waterfalls, Harare, was intercepted during a routine stop-and-search operation. He was found in possession of 62 sacks (50kg each) of new shoes, three bales of Java garments, and one bale of second-hand clothes, all suspected to have been smuggled into Zimbabwe.
The operation was carried out by a police patrol team comprising detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and the Support Unit, who discovered Chinyike’s Mercedes Benz (registration AES 1407) had broken down, leading to further checks that exposed the illicit cargo. The recovered goods were taken to ZRP Gokwe Police Station as exhibits, while authorities work to establish their total value.
Police confirmed that the arrest is part of a national crackdown on smuggling launched by the Government in November 2024, aimed at curbing the illegal importation of goods and protecting local industries.
Authorities have urged the public to continue cooperating with law enforcement by providing information that could help combat smuggling and other illegal activities.
